What is Ethiopian cuisine like?

Question

.....I heard they eat rotten eggs and insects.....

I am up to trying new food, but I would like to hear from someone who has actually tried it.

Answer 1

It's a lot like Indian food. Very spicy, bread in hand to scoop up meat and veggies or eat it with rice - that sort of thing. Funny, though, the Ethiopian restaurant (I was surprised too) that I used to know made an outrageous fetuchini alfredo. Was real near 45th and Walnut in Philadelphia. 45th and Sansom maybe - something Abysinia. Fun.

Peace!

Answer 2

They have some interesting stuff.Ethiopian cuisine consists of various vegetable or meat side dishes and entrees, usually a wat or thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour. One does not eat with utensils, but instead uses injera (always with the right hand) to scoop up the entrees and side dishes.Ethiopian cuisine is virtually the same as the cuisine of Eritrea, given the shared history of the two countries.

Traditional Ethiopian cuisine employs no pork of any kind, as most Ethiopians are either Muslims or Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, and are thus prohibited from eating pork. Furthermore, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church prescribes a number of fasting (tsom Ge'ez: ጾም ṣōm) periods, including Wednesdays, Fridays, and the entire Lenten season, so Ethiopian cuisine contains many vegetarian (Amharic: ye-tsom የጾም ye-ṣōm, Tigrinya: nay-tsom ናይጾም nāy-ṣōm) dishes. Ethiopian restaurants are a popular choice for vegetarians living in Western countries.

Answer 3

There are quite a few Ethiopian restaurants in Toronto. They would serve the food on a big flat round metal plate (45cm diameter). a layer of enjira bread cover the base, and various dishes spread on top of the enjira bread, usually arranged esthetically. The dishes we 'd usually order are kitfo (marinated raw beef) and different type of pulses (it's like mild version of Indian style dal).
An Ethiopian friend told me that you are supposed to pick up food with enjira bread (with your hands, of course) and feed the person sitting across from you. It means you care for the other person and would see that other people have their food before you satisfy your own hunger.
This custom makes Ethiopian food the best choice for Valentine dinner in the West, don't you think?

Answer 4

I have had fantastic food at an Ethiopian restaurant in Hells Kitchen in NYC, a place called Meskerem (I believe). The food was spicy meat, goat and chicken with curry type sauce. It is eaten with flatbread called injera. You can use the injera to pick up a piece of meat and then pop the bite in your mouth. This is why some decide not to use utensils to eat (aside from their own hands). The food is excellent and the sauces were so delicious!

Answer 5

Ethiopian cuisine is plain. Their main staple is a bread called Enjera, it is a fermented product that tastes MUCH stronger than sourdough and has a flat smooth texture like a thick crepe. The enjera is used to "wrap" vegetables and beans. Ethiopians rarely eat meat, due to their geographical location. Think of it as a plainer vegetarian Indian dish!

Answer 6

ETHIOPIAN CUISINE

Unlike the food of almost any other country, Ethiopian cuisine has grown in a vacuum, undiluted by outside forces. Its mountainous geography kept it largely isolated from its neighbors, and unlike other African countries, Ethiopia escaped European domination, except for a five-year Italian occupation/war with Italy. Only its position as a stop on ancient trade routes brought Ethiopia the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric and other spices that are used so creatively.
Ethiopian food is served on centerpiece platters over injera, accompanied by plates of more injera, rolled up like so many dish towels. To eat, you simply tear off pieces of injera and scoop up bites of food. Our traditional menu incorporates beef, lamb and chicken. And due to the Orthodox Church's fasting seasons vegetrian dishes come in abundance and variety of flavors.
The flavorings are usually cooked slowly in kibe, a clarified butter with Ethiopia-grown chili peppers combining with ginger, garlic, onions, spices, basil and a host of less familiar flavorings like bishop's weed, which resembles thyme, and 'enset' (banana tree like) plant powder.


Berbere : A popular Ethiopian seasoning prepared from Ethiopian red chilli peppers, garlic, & other spice. Berbere is sun-dried then mixed with more spices & used in wetts.

Kibe : Another Ethiopian basic, Kibe is pure clarified butter seasoned with several condiments and used in traditional sauteing.

Kaey Wot : A lively sauce prepared with berbere, nitir kibe & meat, fish or legumes.

Aletcha : A delicately mild sauce made from meat, legumes or beans with garlic, ginger and Ird.

Mitmita : Bird's eye red pepper spiced with cardamom & salt, usually served with Kitfo.

Answer 7

DELICIOUS KIND OF LIKE INDIAN FOOD